Needle in a Haystack
by cho-chan09
Summary: An original. Rickie has a new stepfather, a new family, and a new life. It isn't so bad when he meets his cousin, Erin. Their relationship is a bit more than cousinly but how will that fair when Rickie finds out about his new family's secret.
1. Chapter 1: Farm Away from Home

**_Needle in a Haystack_**

*A/N Hullers! Here's an original story that I stared a long time ago. It still isn't complete but here you go! It is slightly incestuous but the characters aren't related by blood anyway. *

Rickie didn't particularly like Drake. He just didn't seem to be right for his mom. Sure, he was rich but he was also 10 years older than her. He missed his dad. Unfortunately, he had died in a freak accident over a year ago, leaving Rickie, his mom and his younger twin sisters all alone. His mom had been depressed for nearly half a year before she met Drake. They were the worst months of Rickie's life. During this time, his 12 year old sisters, Emme and Mimi, grew silent and stopped speaking. Even now, six months after their mom met Drake and their wedding day being today, they hadn't said a word. They kept to themselves as though each other was the other's life support.

Many people Rickie didn't know had attended the wedding and now he just felt extraordinarily out of place. The reception party was held outdoors at Drake's family farm near the edge of a forest. They were moving here into the large house where they would be staying with Drake and his sister, her husband and their two children. Rickie supposed he'd have to start calling them Aunt Marie and Uncle Darren, which he was not looking forward to. Rickie drifted away from the festivities, into the bordering forest.

Erin watched the blonde boy wander into the forest with interest. So that was his new cousin. Well, cousin-in-law. His Uncle Drake had married that Camille lady and had her and her three kids moved in. The twins were creepy but this boy seemed different, interesting even. Erin followed him into the forest. Hopefully, he could make friends with him and then he wouldn't be alone on this stupid big farm. Erin followed the faint trail of footprints the boy had left on the soft forest floor. Soon, he heard the sound of the creek that flowed near the house. He rounded a corner and found the boy sitting on a fallen tree, throwing pebbles into the creek. Erin stopped when he saw the look on the boy's face. It was one of strangely serene sadness. It was beautiful to Erin, how the boy's bright amber eyes shimmered with unshed tears as he gazed with an almost wistful look into the creek. Erin didn't want to spoil such a wonderful scene but his body was not cooperating and he found himself drawn to this angelic creature.

Rickie looked up at the sound of someone approaching. He was startled to see a light-brown haired boy with brilliant brown eyes that had a red tint to them. The boy stopped when he saw that Rickie had seen him. A light blush tinted his cheeks as he began explaining himself. "Uh, I saw you go in here. You know, this forest has many wild animals that could be dangerous. I was just making sure that you were ok." Rickie was surprised by how light this boy's voice was. It seemed as though it should be a bit deeper. The brunette boy had a nice build, not bulky, but well toned. Rickie regarded the other boy with mild curiosity. "You're Drake's nephew, right?" The boy nodded. "My name is Erin. You're Rickie, right?" "Yea." "Can I sit with you?" Rickie hesitated for a moment before he nodded and scooted over to make some room.

Erin sat down next to Rickie and picked up a few pebbles from the ground. They sat in silence for a few minutes; tossing the pebbles into the creek. It was Erin who broke the silence. "So, how old are you Rickie?" "I'm 15." "Really? So am I." "Cool." The conversation lapsed back into silence. Then Erin turned to look at Rickie. "Why are you over here and not at the party?" Rickie had hoped that this wouldn't happen, but of course this guy would be wondering why he'd left his mother's wedding. However, for some reason, he wanted to tell him everything. "I didn't really want my mom to get married. It's not that I don't think Drake is a cool guy or anything, It's just… I'm afraid she'll forget about everything before she met Drake. The time she spent with Dad. I want our old life back." Rickie gasped as he felt warm tears begin to slowly roll down his cheek. He tried to wipe them away, but they just kept on coming. Erin wrapped a comforting arm around Rickie's shoulder. Rickie leaned into him, grateful for the comfort and support. They sat like that for a few moments until Rickie could speak again. "I-I'm sorry. You shouldn't have seen that." "Why not? It's ok to cry. You miss your dad and that's totally understandable. But, don't you think this wedding is a new beginning? No one ever truly forgets the past, but we have to move on. Did you want your mom to stay depressed?" Rickie looked up into those red-brown eyes full of truth and knowledge. Erin smiled. "You need to move on too. Look to the future and remember the past. That's all we can do." Rickie nodded slowly. And then their lips met. Neither of them knew what was happening for a moment, but once they did, they quickly pulled away with scarlet blushes painted across their faces. "Sorry!" they both exclaimed. There was a short, awkward silence following this. Then Erin cleared his throat. "It's getting late. We should go back before we're missed." "Yea, you're right." They stood up and went back to the party.

Later that night, after all of the guests had left, the residents of the farmhouse gathered in the large kitchen. They sat at the dining table, with Drake at the head. "Well, I hope everyone got a chance to meet! But just in case, let's go around the table and introduce ourselves. Let's start with you, brother." Darren, a tall, burly man with a 5 o'clock shadow stood up. "I'm Drake's younger brother Darren. It's nice to meet you and I welcome you to our family and household." He had a deep, rumbling voice like his brother. He sat down and the woman next to him stood up. She had the same light-brown hair as Erin but hers was curly and long. "Hi! I'm Marie, Darren's wife and banker. He can't keep a hold on his money for anything!" "Honey!" "Oh hush! We're all family now. I can joke if I want to." Marie had a motherly voice, one you'd hear on television. She had a pretty face, as well as the same eyes as Erin, the strange red-brown. When she was done, a girl of about 13 stood up. She had the dark-brown hair of her father, but the same eyes as her brother and mother. "My name's Angie! It's nice to meetcha!"

Eventually, the introductions got around the table, until they reached the twins, Emme and Mimi. They just nodded and stayed silent. Camille stood. "They don't speak very much. Actually not at all since the… incident. Please don't be offended." "Nonsense! We understand how a traumatic experience could cause something like this. We won't push them," was Aunt Marie's soothing promise. Afterwards, Drake showed everyone to their rooms. It turned out that the house wasn't large enough for everyone to have a room of their own so Erin and Rickie had to share a room.

Rickie lay in the unfamiliar room in the unfamiliar house. He could here unfamiliar sounds outside the unfamiliar window in the unfamiliar forest. All that was familiar was the bed sheets and a few posters on the wall. And the boy sleeping on the other side of the room. His new cousin-in-law. The one who he'd kissed earlier that day. The thought made him blush furiously. He concentrated on trying to sleep. He ended up listening to the steady breathing coming from Erin. It was soothing, like his voice had been earlier. Once again the memory surfaced and Rickie sat up abruptly. He got up and went into the hallway to find the bathroom.

When he returned, Rickie was surprised to see Erin sitting on the window seat, looking out towards the forest. Erin turned to see Rickie in the doorway. "So, you couldn't sleep either, huh?" Rickie shook his head no and went to sit on his bed, facing Erin. "I just need to get used to this place before I sleep soundly." Erin laughed. It was a nice sound in Rickie's ears, almost like the song of a howling wolf, high and beautiful, but somewhat lonely. "Yea, I understand. I never had to share a room with anyone so this is a bit new for me too." Rickie smiled. -I saw and couldn't help but smile as well. How could a smile like that _not_ be contagious?- Erin held out a hand to Rickie. Rickie took it and Erin pulled him over to the window. "It's much more beautiful at night." Rickie took a look outside at the forest and had to admit that Erin was right. The moon shone in a cloudless sky, not quite full yet, but illuminating the Earth nonetheless with help from the billions of stars in the sky. There were pyre-flies dancing in the trees of the forest near where the creek could be seen winding its way through the trees. "It's fantastic! Like something out of a fairytale," Rickie whispered in awe. He suddenly blushed when he realized that he was leaning over Erin with his face and hands pressed against the window and Erin's arm wrapped around his waist. Erin was blushing too, but he had a shy smile on his face as well. "Um, I don't really know how to say this," Erin said in a hushed voice. Rickie slightly rested his body on Erin's, climbing onto him. "I think I can guess." He slowly kissed him, cautiously but with determination. Erin tightened his arm around Rickie's waist and pressed his lips a bit harder against Rickie's.

Eventually, the need for air arose and the boys parted, panting slightly, cheeks rosy. "Erin, you know that we're cousins right?" "By marriage, not blood. It doesn't matter to me anyway. I can't control who I end up developing feelings for." Rickie smiled and snuggled up on Erin's chest. "I'm glad. I do like you, Erin." "I like you too, Rickie." Soon, both boys were sleeping soundly in each other's arms on the window seat, the moon's ghostly white light caressing them fondly.

*See? Only slightly incestuous. Anyway, I do hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think. ^_^*


	2. Chapter 2: Faye

The night was short for the boys and soon it was time to wake up. The rooster crowed as the sun broke the horizon. Rickie lay against Erin's chest, reluctant to move from his comfortable position. Erin held him close to his body. He smiled and moved the bangs out of the smaller boy's face. Rickie's eyes opened slowly. "Good morning sunshine," Erin said, kissing Rickie's forehead gently. Rickie shifted a bit so that he could look at Erin's face and he slid his hand up to caress Erin's cheek. "Good morning to you too." He reached up a bit and brought their lips together in a soft but passionate kiss. Before too long though, the rooster crowed again and sunlight began to filter into their upstairs window. Erin reluctantly parted from his lover's lips with a sigh. "Come on. It's high time we got started. There's work to be done," Erin said. He lifted Rickie along with him as he got up off of the window seat. He gently set Rickie on the floor. Rickie stood up straight and gave Erin a look of curiosity and confusion. "What kind of work are we supposed to be doing?" he asked. Erin just grinned. "I forgot. You're from New York. Texas is nothing like that. Tell me, how much do you know about farming?"

Rickie knew next to nothing about farming. Sure, he'd seen pictures of farmers in fields and maybe even a movie or two but he didn't know how much work it was! When Erin and Rickie came downstairs, Drake handed them each a pail labeled "Milk". "Show Rickie here the ropes, son. He looks like a quick learner but we'll start him off with the cows for now." "Sure thing, Dad. Come on Rickie." Erin led Rickie out of the house and down a small path that ran along the east edge of the forest. "So, I'm guessing we're milking cows?" Rickie guessed as they walked. Erin smiled. "You are quick! Yep! That's what we'll be doin'! It's not that difficult. You just gotta be gentle. Here we are." They had reached a large red barn house. It looked like something on a postcard to Rickie, how classic it seemed. Erin opened the two large doors. Inside were two rows of stables, 12 on each side. Occupying the whole right side and half of the left were cows, to make a grand total of 18. The other 6 stalls held horses. They were magnificent beasts, tall and strong. Erin saw Rickie marveling at them and he took his hand and led him toward them. "We have three stallions and three mares." At the confused look on Rickie's face, Erin clarified, "There are three boys and three girls." "Oh," was all Rickie said, his face turning a little pink with embarrassment. One of the horses snorted, as though laughing at him. Rickie glared at it. Erin laughed. "Ah don't mind him. Max thinks he's human." The large black stallion gave Erin a look that seemed to say 'I do not think! I know.' "Let's get to these cows. I'll introduce you to the herd when we're done. Maybe you can even learn to ride." Rickie stiffened at the thought of actually being on the back of one of those creatures. "It's not so bad. Now come on. These cows won't milk themselves."

After they had finished with milking the cows, both boys went back to the house to deliver the milk. When they entered the kitchen, they saw Marie and Camille cooking. "Good morning boys!" Marie greeted them as she fried bacon on a skillet. Camille came and took the pails of milk from them. "Thank you boys. How was it, Rickie?" "It was fun, really," he replied. "I'm glad," his mother smiled. Erin tapped Rickie's shoulder. "Come on! There're a few more things we've got to do." They left the house once more and returned to the barn. Erin whistled and three Shetland sheepdogs poked their heads out from the second floor of the barn house. "Let's haul out!" Erin called to the dogs. The dogs went down the steps to the ground floor and gave three sharp barks. The cows mooed and began to exit the barn. "Whoa, that's amazing!" Rickie exclaimed in awe as he stepped aside to let the cows and dogs through. Erin put an arm around Rickie's shoulder, causing him to blush a bit. "Yea, they're all well trained. The dogs take them out to the pastures a little ways from here so that they can graze." "What about the horses?" "Max leads them. Watch."

By now, the last cow had slowly made her way out of the barn. Then, Max gave a loud neigh and trotted out of his stall like some sort of haughty prince. It was clear he was showing off his authority. Rickie couldn't help but laugh. The first to follow was a pretty chestnut brown horse with a midnight black tail and mane. "That's Delilah. She's Alpha Mare and Max's sweetheart." Delilah marched out proudly, her tail swaying in a majestic fashion. Then came a white horse with misty gray tail and mane. "This is Storm. We actually rescued him in a storm about 3 years ago. He had fallen in the river and was trapped in the muddy bottom." "Wow." Next was a lovely red-brown stallion. He seemed a lot more energetic than the others as he exited at a quick trot, his head swinging from side to side excitedly. "That's Buck. He's the second youngest, only about 5 years old. He's really wild but he's very friendly. I'm usually the one that rides him." Erin gave Rickie a smug grin. Rickie punched his chest lightly before laying his head casually against the other boy's shoulder. The final two horses came out together. They looked alike; both were a light yew colour with mahogany mane and tail. The only difference was that one was smaller. "Finally we have Jeraldine and her calf Claire. We bought her two years ago and didn't even know that she was pregnant. It was one heck of a surprise when that little one popped out!" Rickie laughed. They were now the only ones left in the barn.

Erin leaned down and gently brushed his lips over Rickie's. Rickie responded by kissing back a little more intensely and gently caressing Erin's chest. Erin slowly began backing up until Rickie sat on a bale of hay. Their lips never disconnected. Erin was kneeling in front of Rickie, his hands and arms on Rickie's sides and Rickie's arms draped over Erin's shoulders. A soft moan escaped Rickie's lips and Erin took a chance to slip in his tongue. It slowly glided along Rickie's tongue before it began to explore his mouth. Suddenly, a bell sounded somewhere in the distance, in the direction of the house. Reluctantly, they pulled away from each other. "I guess breakfast is ready, "Rickie stated, disappointment clear in his voice. "Yep. Best not to keep them waiting," Erin said with a sigh. He gave Rickie a brief kiss before he stood up. "Let's go." They exited the barn together and walked back to the house.

It's about 9 in the morning now. Breakfast consisted of fresh ham, crispy bacon, over-easy and scrambled eggs, and large stacks of fluffy hotcakes drizzled in warm maple syrup. The family gathered at the table and said grace before they dug in. Marie passed around a large jug of milk. "Fresh milk the boys brought in today," she announced, pouring a glass for Angie. "If it tastes sour, it's from a cow Rickie milked," Erin said jokingly. They laughed and Rickie playfully punched Erin's arm. It was a bit hard for Erin not to just wrap his arms around the boy when he saw his lightly flushed face from embarrassment. He didn't know how long he'd be able to keep up this facade. He really felt strongly about Rickie. They ate in good cheer, light conversation mingled with the sound of slurping and chewing. When they were done, Marie and Camille cleared the table. Drake stood up and motioned for Rickie and Erin to follow him.

Drake took the boys outside and down a path going in the opposite direction as toward the barn. "Today is the day that the trucks from our company come to take the products of our harvests to be sold in the market. I need you boys to help me load the crates," Drake explained as they were passing by the chicken coop. Hens and little yellow chicks pecked at food on the ground. "Angie is the one that usually feeds the chickens and gets the eggs from them in the mornings. I'm supposing she's gotten Emme and Mimi to help her somehow," Erin said to Rickie in an almost tour guide-like voice. "That's right!" Drake exclaimed in his booming tenor voice, "Everyone has a job on a farm, especially one like this." They got to the large gate that led into the property. The sign hanging over the gate read "Forest Edge Farms". An eighteen wheeler truck sat idly just on the inside of the gate. A few dozen crates were piled next to it, filled with the goods from the farm. A tall, lanky man stepped out of the truck. He wore dusty denim overalls and a baseball cap. He walked over to the trio and shook Drake's hand. "Howdy boss! We're ready to load up and head out to market," he said. Drake nodded in satisfaction. "Boys this is Tomas Greene. He's usually the one that handles the transportation of the goods." They shared short greetings and then Tomas explained how to load the crates. It was a bit more complicated than they'd thought. It took extreme caution so that nothing was tousled or, in an egg's case, broken. It took about an hour to load the crates and strap them down. "Alrite! You boys can head on back. I've got some things to talk about with Tomas here. I'll meet up with ya'll later," said Drake. Erin and Rickie left the two men to talk.

Rickie wiped some sweat off his brow. "Phew! I never knew this would be so much work! No wonder you've got such a strong figure," Rickie said. After realizing what he'd just said, he blushed. Erin laughed. "Aw don't worry! A few weeks of doing some manual labour and you'll look just like me," he said, his smile only getting wider. Rickie just shook his head and slowly wrapped an arm around the taller boy's waist. Erin snaked his arm over Rickie's shoulders and gave him a side hug. Rickie inclined his head onto Erin's shoulder. They were in view of the chicken coop when Erin suddenly began towing Rickie into the forest. "Wh-where are we going?! The house is that way!" Rickie exclaimed. "Relax! I just want to show you something," Erin said in a calm voice. It didn't reassure Rickie as much as he'd want it to and he clung a bit tighter to Erin. The thick tree branches made it seem more like dusk rather than mid-morning. "Tell me something. Do you believe in fairytales and supernatural creatures?" The question took Rickie slightly by surprise and he looked up at Erin, his fear diminished, replaced momentarily by confusion. "What do you mean? Like werewolves and vampires?"

"Uh yea, but not quite. Like, trees that can speak and shape-shifters and Faye."

"Oh. Wait, what's Faye?"

"Faye are fairies and pixies and creatures like that."

"Oh. Well, I've never seen any to believe in them, but I can't rule out that they might exist just because of that."

"Hmm, interesting."

"Why do you ask?"

Rickie looked curiously at Erin's thoughtful expression. They continued walking deeper into the forest, the trees beginning to get thicker and grow closer together. In the distance, the creek could be heard, but it seemed louder, bigger, as though out here it was more of a river than a creek. "Where are we going?!" Rickie cried in exasperation. "Sh! We're almost there, but you must be quiet. You'll startle them if you're too loud," Erin cautioned.

Suddenly, there was a break in the thick trees. They came upon a sunlit meadow. Flowers of all colours decorated the ground and in the centre of the meadow stood a huge tree. There was no name for it; it wasn't like any tree Rickie had ever seen. It was very thick and had long thick branches with vines hanging low. The vines were covered in small, soft green leaves and lavender flowers. Butterflies of myriad colours fluttered about the tree. The whole meadow seemed alive and somewhat magical. "What is this place?" Rickie's voice was barely a whisper. Erin grinned. "It's a fairytale," was the answer. Rickie looked at him and then back at the tree. The butterflies danced in and around the strange tree. Wait, no, those weren't butterflies. Rickie took a step forward, careful not to stray too far from where they stood among the trees. No, definitely not butterflies.

They were Faye. Maybe about six inches tall with large butterfly wings. Their shapes were humanoid but their limbs were longer and more willowy and graceful than any human. Rickie couldn't see any other features clearly. He didn't want to get closer out of fear of frightening or disturbing these creatures. "How did you find this place? I mean it's amazing! How? Why?..." words failed Rickie as he tried to get his mind straight. "You'll know everything soon enough. But now's not the time to tell," Erin said softly, in a voice that didn't quite sound like him. "Come on. We should go before they start to worry." Rickie just nodded and they turned away from the magical meadow and toward the house.

Late in the afternoon, Rickie and Erin rounded up the cattle and horses. Then they had dinner, showered and went to their room. Rickie lay flat on his bed with his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling and thinking about today's events. Erin sat on his bed on the other side of the room, reading a book. "Hey Erin?" Erin put his book down. "Yea?" "Don't we have school?" The question took Erin by surprise; it hadn't been the question he thought he'd be asked. He chuckled. "Nah we don't. Running a farm doesn't need any real schooling. After my Pops and Uncle retire, I'm gonna take custody of this place." "Oh," was all Rickie could say. He thought about that for a few minutes before he asked another question. "Hey, what are you reading? And how can you read if you don't go to school?" Erin turned to give Rickie an incredulous look. "I know how to read, write and do simple math and algebra. I'm not some sort of hillbilly Rickie. I'm a simple farm boy." He grinned. Rickie rolled his eyes but couldn't help smiling also. "Come here and I'll show you what I'm reading." Erin motioned Rickie over.

Rickie sat next to Erin on Erin's bed. Erin showed him the cover of the book. The title read 'Fairintology: A Guide to Faeries, Pixies and Other Faye'. A picture below the title displayed a Faye much like the ones they'd seen earlier in the meadow. "Where did you get a book like this?" Rickie asked, examining the picture with interest. "It's been passed down through my family for 9 generations. It has information on all kinds of Faye. Like where they would most like to live, what they eat and what they look like." Rickie flipped through a few pages. They had colourful illustrations of the different Faye and explicit details about each one. Rickie was fascinated by the book. He finally came to a picture like the one on the cover. He read a few lines. "'Wood faeries are mostly found in forests or areas with many trees. They vary in wing, skin and hair colour, mostly depending on where they live, so as to be better suited to their environment. Their wings are retractable and can be hidden when needed. They are among the more majickal of the Faye and can even assume the figure of a human in size and form. Apart from their wings, their most notable features are their eyes. These can not be hidden by any illusion, for they are the source of a faerie's majick.'" Rickie looked at Erin. He looked back at him, his strange red-brown eyes seeming to glow. Rickie gasped in realization. "Erin, you're a faerie?!"

*Didn't see that one coming did you? XD I hope not. Well, I hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know. It'd be much appreciated. ^_^*


	3. Chapter 3: Trouble in Paradise

*A/N Faeries huh? Yep, who doesn't like a good story about faeries? Anyway, let's see how Rickie takes the news. Enjoy!*

Erin smiled at Rickie's incredulous expression. Rickie tried to back away from him but realized too late that he was on the edge of the bed. Erin grabbed for his arm but then he ended up falling with him. Erin landed on Rickie. Rickie had the wind knocked out of him for a moment. When he regained his composure, he felt Erin's warm breath on his face. He looked into the strange red-brown eyes and tried to scramble away but Erin held him underneath him. Erin kissed him, a desperate attempt to make Rickie understand in some way. Rickie's struggled for a few futile moments before succumbing to the soft warm lips of his cousin. His arms slid around that of the larger boy as though never wanting to let go. Erin's slick tongue slowly ran along Rickie's bottom lip and Rickie invited him in with no hesitation. Erin gladly took the invitation and allowed his tongue to explore Rickie's warm, moist oral entrance. Rickie let out a soft moan and Erin smirked, which was strange considering the position of his mouth. They made out for another few minutes before finally parting, so as to better fill their airways. Rickie slowly opened his eyes to see Erin's smiling face looking down at him. He blushed, which only made Erin's grin widen. "What were we talking about?" Rickie said, slightly dazed. Erin laughed and got up. He helped Rickie to his feet and held him in a loving embrace. "I understand if you are confused and maybe even a bit shocked, but, please, hear me out before you make any major decisions," Erin said quietly into Rickie's ear. Rickie could only nod, words having failed him.

They sat back down on Erin's bed and Erin picked up the book again. He handed it to Rickie. Here. I want you to have this. Study it. I've already learned what I needed to from it." Rickie looked at him in awe. Once again, all he could do was nod. "Let me explain a few things that I know you must be wondering about," Erin began. He had one arm draped over Rickie's shoulders and held him to his side as he spoke. "That meadow I took you to earlier is a Faye city. We are its guardians. My mother's father is the mayor of that city. Uncle Drake knows about it, as well as my father, but they're both human. I don't know if my uncle has told your mom, or if he's planning on it at all." "Wait, so then why are you telling me?" Erin suddenly got a far-off look in his eyes. "Because, you're my _temla nem_." "What?" Erin just gave him a secretive smile. "I'm not telling. You can find that out on your own." Rickie made a face as though he were a pouting child. "No fair!" Erin laughed. "You are adorable, did you know that?" He kissed his forehead sweetly. Rickie couldn't hold the face as a new blush crept over his cheeks. "So then you're part human?" Erin nodded. "Yea, my sister and I. We have our other form, the one with wings, but we have less majickal abilities and are about two inches larger than other faeries of our kind." "Oh." Erin chuckled. "Well, its getting late. You can learn more by reading that book, but for now, its time to hit the hay." This time, Rickie chuckled. Erin raised an eyebrow questioningly. "What's so funny?" "Hay." Erin's expression remained that of confused. "We live on a farm. I just thought it was a little humorous." "No, not really." Rickie playfully punched Erin in the arm. "You know what Erin? You're like a needle in a haystack." "What's that supposed to mean?" "You're different, and you're exactly what I'm looking for."

That night, the two boys slept on the same bed, wrapped comfortably in each others' arms. The next morning they awoke much the same as the previous morning and performed the same chores as well. Farm life doesn't change around too often. After lunch, they went back out to the barn and cleaned out the stalls, much to Rickie's dislike and Erin's amusement. Rickie's face contorted into a look of disgust as the smell of cow and horse manure wafted into his nostrils. Erin couldn't help laughing at this. "No matter how many times I do this, I'm sure that I'll never get used to the stench," Rickie said, trying to cover his nose and sweep the floor of the stall at the same time. "Don't worry, we only clean them out every other day," Erin said with a grin. "Ugh," was Rickie's not so enthusiastic reply. When they were finished cleaning, they replace the bedding and took the soiled bedding out to an area where it would be disposed of by other workers. Hey, do you think we could go visit the meadow again today?" Rickie asked. Erin looked thoughtful. "Yea, I don't see why not."

They made their way through the trees, Rickie holding Erin's hand so as not to get lost. Soon enough they made it to the break in the trees, but something seemed wrong. Like the last time, they remained in the cover of the trees. There was no wind and the world seemed to be too quiet. There were no faeries flitting about the tree. All seemed dead compared to the day before and it unnerved them both. "I must go tell my mom. Something's not right." They turned quickly and headed back to the house, unaware of a looming shadow just beyond their vision in the trees.

They made it back to the house in record time. The sun was high in the cheerful blue sky, but that all seemed too surreal as their anxiety grew. They found Marie outside, hanging up laundry on a clothes line. "Hey there boys! What's the hurry?" She said with a smile as the two boys approached her. That smile turned into a look of concern when she saw the anxious and determined look that the boys had on their faces. They allowed their breath to catch up with them. Then, Erin spoke. Rickie didn't understand a word coming out of the other boy's mouth, except he caught the strange words Erin had called him the night before, _temla nem_., at which Erin had given Rickie a brief glance. Marie looked stunned, then confused and then horrified as Erin's words seemed to spew from his mouth quicker. Marie placed a calming hand on Erin's cheek when he was finished speaking. "Go find your sister. I need to talk to this one." She looked at Rickie with meaningful eyes. Erin nodded and, with a quick glance Rickie, he was off. Marie then rounded on Rickie. "Don't be alarmed now Rickie. I know that you probably have a lot of questions, but they'll have to wait." Rickie could only nod. "Alright then, I'm glad we're at an understanding. Now, I assume you know what we are." Again, Rickie nodded. Marie nodded slowly in return, as if considering something. "Well, we don't exactly know the extent of what's going on, so I need you to make sure that while Erin, Angie and I are investigating this, you keep the others oblivious to anything that may seem amiss. Got that?" "Y-yes Aunt Marie. But, shouldn't you at least tell Uncle Darren?" Aunt Marie chuckled, but it had little humour behind it. "No. He jumps to conclusions too hastily. We'll let him know if anything major is happening." "Oh, ok." "So, do I have your word?" Aunt Marie held out her hand. Rickie took it and gave it a quick, firm shake. "You can count on me Aunt Marie."

*And the plot thickens! Sorta. I wonder what's gonna happen. Well, you do, I hope, because I already know! XD Please let me know what you think, okay? Or I'll send a faerie to molest you in your sleep! .*


	4. Chapter 4: Start of a Crisis

*A/N Yay! I have a lot of fun writing this story. So, what do you think is happening? Nothing good, I assure you. So let's find out!*

Rickie watched as the three Faye went into the forest. He sighed as headed back toward the house. He hoped that they wouldn't be long. Drake and Uncle Darren were out in the fields, but it was getting late and Rickie was sure that they'd be arriving home in about 2 or 3 hours. He walked into the house to find his mother in the kitchen washing dishes with his sisters. She turned when she heard him approaching. "Hello Rickie. Where's Erin? The two of you seem almost inseparable, I hardly ever see you apart," she said with a pleasant smile. Rickie felt his face warm up at her comment but his brain was working hard, thinking of a good enough excuse. "Uh, he went with Aunt Marie and Angie to the store. Aunt Marie said something about clothes and knitting supplies." Camille nodded, seeming to buy his story. Rickie gave a small sigh of relief. He quickly went up to his and Erin's room, shut the door, and flopped onto the bed, heaving a great sigh of exhaustion. "Why is this happening to me?" he asked no one in particular. He turned over and saw the Faye guide sitting on his bedside table. He sat up and picked it up, flipping through the pages. It landed on a page with an illustration of a shadow. it looked somewhat faerie-like, but different somehow in a way that Rickie could not quite explain. The picture gave him a chill that ran down his spine in an unpleasant way. He read the description:

'Denx are perhaps the most feared creatures in the Faye world. They were once normal Faye, but their majick became corrupt, and they were consumed by darkness and turned into shadows. There are not very many, but they are still very powerful. Not very much is known about them, for they usually hide in the darkness and avoid others unless provoked or if they hold a deep grudge from before they were transformed. These shadow creatures cannot physically touch other creatures, but they can use their strange majick to attack the dreams of an individual, and thus control them through their conscience. Basically, they control their mind. They are difficult to dispel. The only way is to have the victim be called back by his or her _temla nem. _Other than that, no one knows how to permanently destroy them.'

"What the hell does that mean?!" Rickie said loudly, frustrated. He stared at the two words in the strange language of the Faye. They stared back, seeming to mock him. He flipped to the beginning of the book, looking for a table on contents. A couple of pages in, he found it. He looked through it and then flipped to a section near the back that had a glossary of some words in the Faye language that were featured in the book. He looked down at the first page and then the second. He turned the page and there they were. He read softly:

'_temla nem_: A term in the Faye language that could best be interpreted as chosen one or soul mate. It is the one most important person in a Faye's life, such as a mate, lover or spouse'

Rickie's face turned a deep crimson after reading this. He couldn't believe what he'd just read, or the fact that Erin thought of him like that. It was almost overwhelming. He felt strange. There was a warmth in his chest that he couldn't understand why it was there. He gasped, looking up and seeing Erin standing in the doorway. Suddenly, soft warm tears pricked at Rickie's eyes, and a few escaped. Erin contracted a concerned look on his face and come over to sit beside Rickie. He took the book from Rickie to see what it was that he'd been reading. He smiled in understanding before wrapping his arms strongly and affectionately around the other boy. "_Te gou uis ke temla nem_." Rickie didn't understand everything that Erin said, but he smiled nonetheless at hearing those two words. Erin lifted Rickie's chin and kissed him softly. Rickie's whole world melted away, and all he knew was Erin. He wrapped his arms around his neck, never wanting to let go, never wanting this moment to end. Erin slowly parted from Rickie, wiping away the blonde's tears with his fingers. Rickie took in a deep breathe.

"So what's going on? What happened over there? It sure didn't take you long." Erin looked out of the window. "Well, all is not well. My mother is still in the city. She sent my sister and I back home because she didn't want us in the court. Things are a lot worse than we'd expected. They aren't letting any of the residents out of the city right now because there's a Denx on the loose." Rickie gasped. Erin looked at him with a questioning look. "I'd just been reading about them! They seem like awful things." "Yes they are," Erin said in a bitter voice. Rickie buried his face into Erin's shoulder. "I'll be here, by your side forever. You don't have to worry because I won't let that stupid Denx bring you any harm!" Erin looked down at the top of the other boy's head in awed surprise. Then he smiled and kissed the blonde hairs on his head. "Thank you." "And, you need to teach me the language of the Faye. Because I couldn't understand a word of what you said to Aunt Marie earlier! You could've been talking about mutated guppies for all I know!" At this, Erin burst into a hearty laughter. Rickie couldn't help but giggle along with him. "Come on. I'm sure that dinner will be ready soon," Erin said, kissing Rickie briefly before getting off of his bed. "Sure thing." Rickie got up as well and they both headed downstairs.

*Aw! Isn't that adorable!?!? You know it is. The Faye language in my story is completely made up. I don't actually know any faeries to know the actual language. -_-" So, what do you think? Are you scared? XD I hope so. That Denx is scary! Even if it doesn't really seem like it right now. Let me know!! ^_^*


	5. Chapter 5: Weather and Words

*A/N Now what? It seems like things are getting a bit complicated. Some things are getting a bit intense in the boys' relationship as well, so heads up!*

Aunt Marie didn't make it to dinner. Camille kept looking from Marie's empty chair to Rickie and back again. No one else seemed disturbed by the absence, or at least did a good job of acting like it. When they had all finished their quieter-than-usual meal, Camille and the girls cleared the table and took the dirty dishes into the kitchen to wash. Darren gave Drake a look. Drake nodded at him and then motioned for the two boys to follow them. They stood up and went to a room on the other end of the house. It turned out to be Darren's private workroom. They each took a seat. Drake ran a hand through his light brown hair and heaved a great sigh. Darren just sat there with a blank, far-off look on his face. "We received a messenger bird from the city," Drake said in a low, tired sounding voice. No one spoke as they waited for him to continue. "Marie is going to be staying in the city for a few days. Aside from the current problem with this Denx, her father has fallen ill. Perhaps it's because of the Denx, and since her mother isn't around there's no one to call him back. We're going to go with the story that she's with her father in Alabama, so as not to worry Camille." He looked around at the other three and they nodded in understanding. An awkward silence fell after this. It was broken shortly by Erin who asked, "So what are we going to do?" Darren suddenly gave him a stern look. "You won't be doing anything. It's far too dangerous. Besides, there's nothing much we can do right now, what with not even knowing the cause of the Denx even coming here. We need to know what it wants and figure out where it is hiding." Erin looked ready to protest, but suddenly thought better of it. He didn't want to upset his father any more than he already was. He sighed and instead turned to face Rickie. "Let's go. I'm kinda tired." Rickie just nodded and got off of the bench he'd been sitting on. They left the two older men to brood in the workroom and headed upstairs to get ready for bed.

Rickie walked back into the bedroom from the bathroom wearing only his pajama pants. The weather had been really nice and the temperature had been increasing recently. Erin was sitting on his bed, also in just his pajama pants, flipping through the pages of the Faye guide. "Hey, I thought you said you know everything in and about that book," Rickie said as he sat down next to his cousin. Erin put the book down and sighed. "True, but that doesn't mean I couldn't have missed something. I just don't like feeling all helpless, ya know? I want to be able to do something to help, even if it's something small." Rickie wrapped his arms loosely around Erin's shoulders. "Yeah, I know how you feel. I hate feeling that way when people that I know and love may be in danger. It's the worst." Rickie kissed Erin's forehead. Erin pulled Rickie into his lap and kissed him softly, his hands caressing the soft, smooth skin of Rickie's bare torso. His hand ran over one of his small, pink nipples causing Rickie gasp. Erin smirked as he continued to kiss his cousin, fondling playfully with his nipple. Rickie was half giggling half whimpering and Erin wanted to hear so much more. He leaned forward until Rickie was on his back and he was over him, still kissing. Erin's hands were wandering down Rickie's torso toward the waistband of his pants Rickie stopped him. Erin got up and sat back. Rickie sat up but looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry. It just seems like we're going a bit too fast." Erin lifted Rickie's chin. Red-brown eyes gazed softly into amber ones. "You don't have to apologize. We can go at any pace that you want to." Erin kissed Rickie's forehead. "Let's go to sleep, ok?" Rickie nodded and they climbed into bed beside each other.

The next day dawned hot and wet. When the boys awoke they found that it was raining outside. "Wasn't it really sunny yesterday?!" Rickie asked incredulously. Erin chuckled. "Sometimes the weather just has its own agenda. C'mon! I can really go for some breakfast." They got dressed and went downstairs into the kitchen. Camille greeted them with a smile. "Hi boys. Has Drake told you what happened to poor Marie? I hope her father gets well soon." "Don't worry Aunt Camille. Grandpa is a real strong guy. I'm sure he'll pull through," Erin said, giving her a reassuring smile for added effect. This seemed to calm her down. "Well, you boys go on and do your chores and I'll have breakfast ready for you when you get back," she said as she put a flowery apron on. "Sure thing Mom!" Rickie said, giving his mom a peck on the cheek before heading out with Erin. It was still raining but the air was still very warm causing the whole atmosphere to feel stuffy and humid. "Whoa this weather is weird," Rickie stated as they trudged through the now muddy road to the barn. Erin chuckled. "It sure is. But it may be because of that Denx." Rickie looked at Erin with a befuddled look. "What does the weather have to do with the Denx?" "I guess you didn't read that part. Sometimes, if a Denx is powerful enough, it can mess with natural phenomena such as the weather. Did you ever wonder how hurricanes and typhoons occurred?" He gave Rickie a sidelong look accompanied by a half-smirk. Rickie looked a bit taken aback for a moment before just shrugging his shoulders and continuing to walk. He was beginning to think that the Denx was a lot more powerful than any of them could imagine.

*A tad short but things will pick up soon. I told you that Denx are scary!! Anyway, I do hope that you are enjoying this as much as I am. Let me know! ^_^*


	6. Chapter 6: Learnings and Fleeting Senses

*A/N* Hey there! So I'm back with the next bit of this. Hope this isn't getting boring. Well, on with the show!*

They got to the barn and, instead of taking the animals out, filled up the water and food troughs and cleaned out the pens. A torrent rain continued to come down as they worked. Thunder was heard overhead in the distance and Rickie flinched. Erin smirked. "Thunder not your thing?" he asked in a casual voice. Rickie shot him a mean look. "No. I've never had good experiences with storms." Another clap of thunder, closer this time, sounded outside and Rickie jumped, a squeak of displeasure escaping his lips. Erin chuckled and went over to hug Rickie close to him. "Don't worry. No storm will harm you as long as I'm here to protect you." Rickie hugged Erin tightly. "Thanks," he said softly, his voice muffled slightly through the fabric of Erin's jacket. Another clap of thunder and a flash of lightening caused the dogs to whimper and Rickie to cling closer to Erin. "I h-hate this weather," Rickie mumbled. Erin was surprised to notice that Rickie was crying. He practically carried him to a bale of hay where he sat down and held Rickie in his lap, cradling him. "Aw, come on now Rickie! It's just a lil' ol' storm. Nothing will happen to you as long as I'm here. _Te in lowip uis." _More faerie words, but they were strangely comforting to Rickie as he snuggled up to Erin. "It's such a pretty language," he whispered. Erin smiled gently. "Yea, it is. You don't understand much though, do you?" Rickie shook his head no. "Then I'll teach you some things while we wait out this storm."

"First off, we should learn basic things like greetings and proper nouns. _Te_ translates to 'I' and _uis_ translates to 'you'. Like any language, not everything can be translated perfectly, but quite a few things can be interpreted pretty accurately. So, here's how to say 'Nice to meet you'. Repeat after me: _Ril o uis fui._" "Reel oh wis fwee?" Erin chortled. "Close. Try again. _Ril o uis fui._" "_R-ril o uis fui._" "Perfect! Next let's try introducing yourself. Repeat after me: _Teim ki y Erin. _Just say your name instead of mine."

Erin continued to give Rickie lessons until the storm let up. Rickie had all but forgotten about the weather as he concentrated on listening and repeating Erin's words. "Hey, do you hear that? I think the storm is over." Rickie and Erin got up and went outside. Sunlight and blue sky could be seen through cracks in the fat clouds that were beginning to disperse. "Let's get back to the house before it decides to come back," Rickie said, relief evident in his voice. Erin nodded and they made their way through the mud and back to the house. "Boys!" Camille came up to greet them. "I was afraid you'd been caught in the storm. Are you alright?" She gave Rickie a concerned look. He nodded and smiled at his mother. "Yea, I'm fine. Erin kept me company." Camille gave Erin a grateful smile and a warm hug. "Thank you, Erin. Rickie never did like storms." Erin grinned sheepishly. "Aw, it wasn't no trouble. He's a real brave guy." Camille ruffled Rickie's hair before telling the boys to wash up for lunch.

The two boys went upstairs to their bathroom. "So, what sort of experience did you have to make you so afraid of storms?" Rickie took a moment to ponder Erin's question. "Well, to tell you the truth, I never had any particular experience. I was just always frightened of them. When there's a storm, I feel like the sky is coming down to take me away. I know it's really childish, but that's how I feel, so I'm afraid of them." Erin gave the other boy a quizzical look before just shrugging his shoulders. "It ain't childish. We all have fears. Some are a bit stranger than others, but they're fears just the same. Don't be ashamed about it." Erin kissed Rickie's cheek affectionately. Rickie's cheeks went pink and he splashed water at Erin with a slightly embarrassed grin. "Well then, what are you afraid of?" Erin grinned softly before snaking his arms around Rickie's waist and pulling him into a hug. "I'm afraid of losing you," Erin whispered into Rickie's blonde hair. Rickie hugged Erin tightly. "I'm glad. I hope to never lose you either. If I did, then I hope that the sky does come down to swallow me because I just couldn't live without you." Erin pulled back jus enough so that he could easily capture Rickie's lips into a sweet and tender kiss. It was cut short by someone clearing their throat in the doorway. Rickie and Erin sprang apart to see that Angie was leaning against the doorway of the bathroom. "Aunt Camille said hurry up or lunch is gonna get cold." She flashed them a grin before heading downstairs. Rickie stared after her, mortified at the thought that she had just seen him kissing her brother. "Don't worry, she already knows." Rickie turned to give Erin an incredulous look. Erin shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't think it that big a deal that she knows. But she's right. We'd better hurry or your mom won't be happy." Rickie could do nothing but nod his head and follow Erin as he tried to register this in his brain.

Lunch was awkward, or at least for Rickie. Everyone seemed to acting completely normal, despite the absence of Aunt Marie. Unfortunately, this was not so for Rickie. His mind was racing with questions. Did they all know about him and Erin? Why weren't they freaking out like he was? What does his mom think? On the inside, he was in complete turmoil, but he hid it by completely engrossing himself in his food. Erin had to keep from laughing as he shot his sister a knowing look. She giggled into her potatoes. Neither of them saw the light blush on Rickie's face. Besides this, lunch was fairly uneventful. As a matter of fact, the following 3 weeks were uneventful, unless you count the strange weather, and even that seemed to fall under normal after about a week. Rickie got over the initial shock of discovering Angie knew about him and Erin. He still tried to avoid eye contact with her, but it didn't faze her. On the contrary, she giggled every time she saw them together and it never failed to make Rickie blush. Even after three weeks, there was no sign of Aunt Marie. Erin acted normal during the day, but when he and Rickie were alone together in their room, he seemed to physically age with worry. It was on this night, three weeks later, that Erin made a decision.

It was almost midnight when he got out of bed. Rickie turned over at the sound on the other side of the room. "Where are you going?" Erin was about to say "To the bathroom" but he knew he couldn't lie. He sighed heavily before answering. "I'm worried about my mom, and the other Faye in the forest. I have to see for myself what's going on." Rickie sat up quickly and stared at the taller boy. "Are you crazy?! Do you know what could possibly happen to you out there?" Erin's fists were clenched tightly at his sides. "Yes," he said quietly, "I know it's dangerous, but my mom hasn't contacted us at all. What if something really bad has happened?" Rickie had nothing to say to that. He just nodded his head before saying, "Well, at least tell Drake, or Uncle Darren. I'm sure they'd want to help." Erin scoffed. "Yea right. They'd tie me down like a hog. No. I've got to do this." With a set jaw, Erin turned and opened the window. "Erin, please don't do this. I'm worried too, but we've gotta think this through some more!" Rickie got out of bed but Erin had already jumped out the window. Rickie ran to look out of it. He saw a flash of scarlet light and then the most beautiful faerie he'd ever seen darted toward the trees, it's scarlet and gold wings glowed faintly as they fluttered. Rickie could only stare for a few seconds before he remembered where that faerie was going. He quickly got on a pair of shoes and a coat before he dashed from the room in pursuit of Erin.

*Oh no! Can you feel the impending doom? Only I know their fates! Mwahahaha!! Please rate and review. I'd appreciate it. ^_^*


	7. Chapter 7: Night Flight

*A/N Here's the next part to my original story! Does anyone even read this? Anyway, no matter! Rickie is in chasing Erin. What is going on? Find out! ^_^*

It was cold and dark outside. The moon was obscured by low hanging clouds and the threat of rain was imminent in the air. Rickie rummaged through a drawer in the kitchen in search of a flashlight. He found one, made sure it worked, and then dashed out of the house toward the forest, going in through the general direction he saw Erin enter. He couldn't see the glow of Erin's wings anymore but something inside of him told him where to go. It was a strange feeling, like he was attached to Erin by an invisible string. Rickie had only been to the secret home of the forest faeries twice, and both times he hadn't paid attention to where he'd been going. So he just followed his feelings as he ran blindly through the forest.

Erin raced through the trees of the dark forest toward the wood faerie tree. Thought of disaster raced through his mind but he tried to shake them out. If anything really bad were to have happened, surely his mom would have sent word to them. Unless she wasn't able to. Maybe the Denx had gotten to them and they weren't powerful enough to stop it. Erin began to fly faster.

Rickie felt a sudden wave of doubt and anger wash over him. It caught him of guard but it only served to make him run faster. The trees were growing closer together, which was good because that's how he remembered it being. He just hoped that it'd be the right clearing.

Erin broke through the trees into the clearing with the tree that was the faerie city his family watched over. He nearly fell from the air at what he saw. There were no lights coming from the tree. The whole clearing was dark and there was no sign of life at all. The only sound came from a distant owl hooting and the rustle of the wind in the trees. Erin slowly and cautiously flew toward the black shadow that was the normally bright city-tree. "_Yemi _(Mother)? _Gu`lin _(Grandfather)? _Kouri y uisinala_ (Where is everyone)?" Erin called out. He received no answer. He continued to call out and search but he found no trace of anyone. It just looked like everyone vanished. A sound from outside startled Erin and he hid within a hollow home. He dimmed his aura so as to not be seen and peeked out toward the darkness.

Rickie felt desperately lost but he continued forward nonetheless, the light from his flashlight bouncing off trees ahead of him. He kept thinking that he'd seen that particular tree before, as if all he was doing was running in circles. The darkness was beginning to get to him. The trees seemed to press in on him, suffocate him. Then, there was a flash of light and a rumble overhead. Rickie yelped and stumbled. He fell into a tree which broke the flashlight and threw him into complete darkness.

Erin saw the lightning and heard the thunder. He felt a sudden jolt of guilt for leaving Rickie behind how he did. There was another flash of lightning. Erin sighed. There was nothing he could do here, it seemed. He would listen to Rickie and just tell his father and uncle. As the first drops of rain began to fall, Erin left the city and headed back toward the forest.

Rickie pulled his knees into his chest. ~Just my luck. The two I hate the most all wrapped into one.~ Rickie thought bitterly. Besides his fear of storms, Rickie hated to be alone in the dark. It wasn't unnatural to feel that way, but Rickie knew that there really were things that could harm you in dark places, even before he knew about Denx. He remembered how his father would hold him on nights like this and tell him all sorts of stories. His father wrote fantasy books, and he'd go on and on about dragons and wizards fighting epic battles. But here he was alone in a huge dark forest with a storm overhead. He didn't dare look up for fear of the sky swallowing him. Instead he buried his face in his arms and sat in a ball under the tree that broke his flashlight.

The rain was beginning to fall harder, but not much got through the canopy of the forest. Erin flew low through the trees, thinking about what he'd seen. It didn't make any sense. Where did everyone go, and why hadn't they said anything? It was just too strange. Suddenly, he felt like he was being pulled. Erin stopped mid-flight and hovered in the air. Again, he felt an invisible tug, like he was being called out to. He followed the sensation, which was coming from the right.

The rhythmic tattoo of the rain hitting the forest canopy and the rolling thunder were the only things Rickie could hear. His eyes were squeezed shut in his arms and he was shaking. That was how Erin found him a few minutes later. "Rickie! What are you doing here?!" Rickie looked up at the sound of the voice. A flash of lightning made him jump and whimper. In a glow of warm light, Erin changed into his human form and sat beside Rickie. He pulled the frightened boy into his arms. "Hey, it's ok now. I'm right here. There's nothing to be afraid of," Erin said gently.

They sat like that for almost an hour before Erin pointed out that they needed to return home before they were discovered missing. Rickie was reluctant to get up and just held onto Erin tighter. It was then that he realized that Erin was stark naked. A blush arose in his cheeks that could, thankfully, not be seen. "Wh-where are your clothes Erin?" he said in a small voice. Erin chuckled. "Well, my clothes don't shrink with me. They should still be under our window." Rickie's blush deepened as he realized how logical that was. On that note, they got up and headed back toward the house. The rain was still falling but the lightning and thunder had ceased. Still, Rickie kept a firm grip on Erin's arm, which was now covered in Rickie's jacket's sleeve. When they arrived, Erin retrieved his clothes and they went up to their room.

"We have about two hours to sleep before morning chores," Erin said. Rickie snuggled against the other's chest, his eyes already closed. Erin smiled and wrapped his arms protectively around him. He kissed the top of his head and buried his face in the soft blond hair before falling asleep. Outside, the rain continued to fall and the shadows of the forest continued to move about, awaiting the perfect moment to strike.

*So, I like being mean with the forboding cliffhangers and whatnot. ^_^" I do hope you enjoyed it anyway! So where are all the Faye? What's with the shadows? Ah, so many questions. I'd love to hear your thoughts, so review/comment! I update faster when I read nice words. ^_^ Til, then.*


	8. Chapter 8: Notice

*A/N This is not a chapter, it is a notice. I am moving this story to my livejournal account: inuzuka_chan. If anyone actually reads this feel free to continue to read it there. However, I won't be posting any new chapters for a couple weeks anyway so...yea. Good day, and please read my other stories. I'd appreciate it. With all the weirdo ideas exploding in my brain, I'll have quite a few new stories popping up when I have the time during my winter break. Til then! ^_^*


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